Hockey Players’ Sexual Assault Trial Jury Dismissed
A judge in Ontario has dismissed the jury in a high-profile sexual assault trial involving five Canadian hockey players. This decision was made on May 16, shortly after a juror complained about the behavior of the defense attorneys in court.
The players—Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton—are accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2018 when they were part of Canada’s world junior hockey team. All five players have pleaded not guilty.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia took action after a juror sent a note to her, stating that two defense attorneys, Daniel Brown and Hilary Dudding, seemed to be whispering to each other and laughing, which the jurors found disrespectful. The judge noted that she hadn’t observed this behavior but agreed that the jurors’ feelings could affect the fairness of the trial.
In response, defense attorney Daniel Brown described the incident as a misunderstanding, asserting that it is normal for attorneys to speak quietly during a trial. He emphasized that no defense lawyer would intentionally offend a juror.
This dismissal follows a previous mistrial declaration due to concerns that a juror had been approached by one of the defense attorneys inappropriately. The case will now continue with the judge presiding over it alone.
The trial is set to resume next week as the court continues to address these serious allegations.
